A Bittersweet Fate
by AnRi Wells
Summary: 01. REVISED. AU. Slightly OC. Mikan Sakura is the almost perfect epitome of a prominent, yet ruthless student. But her almost perfect life comes crashing down when she agrees to date Natsume Hyuuga, her long time suitor. The thing is, what happens next?
1. Creams and Butters

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Gakuen Alice.

Title: A Bittersweet Fate

Summary: REVISED. AU. Slightly OC. Mikan Sakura is the almost perfect epitome of a prominent, yet ruthless student. But her almost perfect life comes crashing down when she agrees to date Natsume Hyuuga, her long time suitor. The thing is, what happens next?

Author's Notes: I apologize for another revision of this story. Again, the plot is still the same. I figured out I had too much of fluff in my other story "He's Mine, She's Mine", so I will try to lessen some of it here; the characters are also 'almost' the same with that story, so I have to change it, too; and lastly, I want to avoid too much Mary-Sues and Gary-Stus (although I'm not very familiar with the whole concept of those kinds of characters) in my stories. So, enjoy! And don't forget to leave a review. You are loved by me.

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><p>Chapter One – Creams and Butters<p>

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><p>It had been roughly an hour and a half since Mikan Sakura sat on her chair inside the meeting room of the Student Council of Alice Academy, a private school in Japan where children of the elites took their high school education.<p>

The room, located at the fourth floor of the building, was comparable to those found in companies; an oblong-shaped, polished wooden table was found in the center with eight black swivelling chair tucked under it, a meter-long fluorescent light emitting a white soft light was attached on the ceiling, releasing dim yellow light which made the room look highly sophisticated as it accented the brighter light, were four round bulbs engraved on the four corners of the room, in front of the table was a white board and rolled-up projector screen above, and to complete the furnishing was a pot of meter-high lucky bamboo standing beside the big and only window of the room.

She gazed at the obvious frowns on the faces of her friends who filled the remaining seats around the table, as well as the other positions in the council. On the left of Mikan, sitting at the farthest end of the table, was Rui Amane, the president of the student council. He was often mistaken as a girl for his feminine features. He never opposed idea, in fact he enjoyed it.

Rui was chatting with the girl across Mikan, Shizune Yamanouchi, the secretary. Unlike Rui who had the air of perkiness around him, Shizune was more to be in the aloof side. Her dark brown hair that cascaded until the middle of her back and round eyeglasses were her signature look. She was the one taking notes in her medium-sized notebook that she spared for the council.

Beside Mikan was the treasurer, Yura Otonashi, a sophomore who was rumoured to have the ability to see and talk to ghosts. She owned a distinct beauty. Mikan always thought that her gray locks were enough to catch the eyes of the males, if not for the gloomy and dark aura she had. Mikan glanced at the thing Yura was holding and saw that it was a tiny voodoo doll. Creepy girl she was.

Across Yura was Sumire Shouda, the P.R.O. of the council. She was Mikan's classmate. Apart from calling herself the muse of the Student Council, Sumire was also one of the most fashion-forward girls in the school. Sumire was tapping her long fingernails on the table, making small, but noticeable sounds. Mikan cringed as she continued to focus her dead-beat attention to Sumire's annoying hobby. She shook her head and diverted her concentration away.

Two chairs saved for the members were left empty. While the other member was presenting, the other was absent. Another empty chair was saved for their adviser, Serina Yamada, who wasn't also present. Standing in front of them was Luna Koizumi, the business manager, who was doing her proposal for the upcoming Alice Festival.

"As I was saying," Luna slammed her hands on the table, frustration visible in her eyes. The thumping sound of her palms against the hard material caused everyone to jolt in their seats. "We will impose stricter rules this time. We cannot let anything ruin this year's festival."

Rui stretched his hands upwards, opened his mouth, and let out a yawn. He then, turned to Mikan. "What do you think Ms. Vice president?"

Mikan straightened her back and fixed a curious, yet impassive stare at Luna. "I agree of it. Good job on this Luna." She claimed as her hands clutched the handles of her chair on each side, swivelling it to an approximate 30-degree turn.

The praised girl held a smug smile. "Why thank you Sakura-san."

"Enough of this," Rui checked his watch—6: 38 p.m., it said. He stood up, signalling Luna to take her seat, and walked to the front of the table where Luna was previously standing. His soft features hardened, as he fixated his eyes on each member. "Luna, I need a full report of that tomorrow in my desk, remember to compile it in a purple folder. Give Mikan and Shizune their own copies for inspection. And, provide Yura a copy of detailed budget description by tomorrow, too. Sumire, I need you to talk to Megane so you two can schedule a meeting with the class representatives. Where the hell is Megane anyway?" He scratched the side of his neck while his other hand was crossed on his chest.

"He was sick, remember? If you didn't throw him a bucket of water because of your childishness, he would be here." Shizune closed her notebook with a loud 'thump' and glowered at Rui, who in exchange crossed his finger and mouthed the word, 'peace'. "Really Rui, can we go home now?" She asked after placing her notebook inside her bag.

Rui clapped his hands. "We could, of course, we could. Let's go home now!" With one last big smile, he said, "You're all awesome. I love you, guys!" He blew them a kiss, and he headed for the door.

Mikan stayed for a bit and watched her friends stood up and filed for the door. She tossed her head back and closed her eyes for a bit, giving her mind a momentary time to relax. Not long after, she felt a presence beside her. She opened her right eye and saw a Barbie-like face staring at her. "Hey." She greeted as she opened her other eye and sat up straight.

"Someone's waiting for you." Sumire giggled at her before yanking her arm. Mikan almost tripped at her bag that was laid on the floor as Sumire dragged her. She grabbed her bag and slung it on her shoulder. "Slow down Permy."

Sumire turned her head to her, and manifested in her scrunched features was the annoyance with the aforementioned nickname. "Don't call me that, twerp." She tightened her grasp around Mikan's wrist and exerted a greater force in order to pull Mikan towards the door. But the heavens forbade a good ending of this, for seconds after, both girls fell on the floor.

"Aww..." Mikan pushed herself from the floor and glared at Sumire who did the same. "Why did you do that?"

"Why did you trip?"

"You pulled me!"

"I... Ugh. Whatever. Let's go." Sumire stood up and dusted her skirt. Good thing they weren't at the door yet, or else extreme humiliation awaiting them would be a terrible outcome. She helped Mikan up and both of them exited the room.

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><p>Mikan found herself sitting beside Sumire who was driving her pink car. She furrowed her eyebrows as she glanced at the girl beside her. She was thankful for her seatbelt for it saved her from unintentionally throwing herself outside the window when Sumire pulled the brakes for the stop light.<p>

"Where are we going? Hotaru's worried for me." She initiated.

Sumire let out a mocking chuckle, gripping the steering wheel. "Please darling, Hotaru will never do that."

"What do you mean?"

"If she did, she would have waited for you in the meeting. Or at the very least, join the council. And guess what, she didn't."

Mikan puffed her cheeks and crossed her arms in front of her. "That was harsh."

The red light changed to green, and thus, Sumire started manoeuvring her car, smoothly skidding in the spaces between the other cars that were on the road, too. The glowing lights from afar slowly became clear and were soon shaped into distinct structures when they neared them.

Mikan knew this place. It was the high-end area of Tokyo where the elites live the night life, spending hundreds to thousands of their money for merriment. She could see a beam of light roaming around the starless dark sky, the skyscrapers appearing to be taller than when seen from afar, and the groups of teenagers to adults in queue outside various clubs, waiting for their turn to experience the wild life. She thought Sumire would stop at one bar for she slowed down the car, when all of a sudden; the girl made a turn to the left and drove past the buzzing fraction of this area and proceeded to the pacified one.

Sumire seemed to have sensed the tension in Mikan. "We're going to meet some people. Don't worry, you know them." Through the sides of her eyes, she perceived the easing of the shoulders of her passenger. She turned right at an intersection and about ten meters away, she saw the place where they're headed to.

"We're here." She pulled the brakes, parked the car in between two cars, turned off the engine, and removed her seatbelt. She told Mikan to do the same before they exited the car, and drag the latter who was being reluctant.

Mikan couldn't help it but to notice the flickering lamp posts that poorly shone their way. She felt chills running up her spine and the hairs on her back standing up when the cold breeze of August night blew past them. They passed by a few stores selling various items before they reached a coffee shop which was at the corner lot of the street. She raised her head and read the 'Creams and Butters' in gold cursive letters, engraved on a wooden rectangular post above the two-door entrance of the shop. She could smell the inviting aroma of the coffees, the freshly baked breads, and the mixed smells of other foods served inside.

They took their steps and entered the shop, the wind chime hanging above the wooden framed door produced a glittery sound when it was hit. Sumire flipped her dark green locks, and surveyed the dimly lit area, taking note of the faces of the people inside until she found a set of familiar faces sitting at the farthest table. "Let's go." She said, clamping her hands on Mikan's wrist and tugging her towards the 'people' they were going to meet up.

"Who really is it that we're go—" Mikan stopped her tracks, refusing to near the table before her, as she saw a very familiar pair of crimson eyes. She shook her head mentally and prayed that this was just a dream, or a nightmare. She didn't like the idea of coming close to the owner of the eyes, much less to meet him outside their school. After all, who would want to have a surprise get-together with the guy who followed you at school each time he got the chance, which was like every second?

"Hey, Mikan." The lad placed his porcelain cup filled with cold cappuccino shake on the table, and rested his arms on the leather covers of his seat. His raven fringes were hanging messily on his head and his fair tan complexion was accented by the soft yellow light hanging above them, also defining the structure of his cheekbone and jaw. He pierced her with his gaze, the one that he frequently gave her whenever they're inside the school.

"Natsume Hyuuga. What the heck are you doing here?" Mikan angrily spat as she released herself from Sumire. She tried her best to be diplomatic, but the intense gaze he was giving her didn't help much. It was irking her, setting her discomfort and aggravation to the maximum level. Much to her displeasure, he returned it with his signature smirk.

"Waiting for you."

Sitting beside Natsume were his friends. On his left was his best friend Ruka Nogi, a half French guy who had the opposite personality of Natsume. He was regarded as one of the most beautiful people in Alice Academy, with his golden blonde hair and deep azure eyes often compared to the ocean. To the right of Natsume was Youichi Hijiri, a sophomore student who shared the same stoic expression as Natsume (in times when he's not following Mikan). His soft gray spikes complemented his teal eyes. He was sipping from the straw of his tall iced tea glass. All of them were still wearing their uniform, as well as the two girls.

Mikan watched as Sumire open her palm before Natsume, and the latter placing folds of money on it. She gasped, completely realizing that she forgot the fact that Sumire was Natsume's cousin, and that he paid her just to bring Mikan to this place. "I'm leaving. I don't have time for this." She was about to turn her heels when Sumire held her arms, preventing her from going anywhere.

"Stay here with Natsume, or else I'll tell Rui about 'that'." Mikan gulped after Sumire whispered those words to her. She didn't want Rui to know about 'that'. Sure, she had a higher position than Sumire in the council, but that didn't mean she could not be threatened by the girl.

"We're cool." She answered, only to be pulled by Sumire in a quick hug. "Bye hun, I'll be leaving with these two."

With her body frozen on the spot, her eyes followed the rising of Youichi and Ruka from their seats. Ruka gave her a quick hug, too, while Youichi nodded at her in acknowledgement. The three left immediately, leaving her alone with Natsume, who had been staring at her for the past minutes; his forehead was creased already as he wondered why the girl hadn't taken her seat yet.

"What?" Mikan asked, finally noticing that Natsume had fixated his eyes on her.

"I'm just wondering why you're refusing to be my girlfriend."

Oh, boy.


	2. Repulsion to Attraction

Disclaimer Noted.

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><p>Chapter Two – Repulsion to Attraction<p>

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><p>Natsume didn't like the conspicuous space between him and Mikan, displaying the unequivocal forced repulsion of the girl to him. He liked the girl. He wasn't playing with her, although his actions would be considered equal to it. The first time he spotted her when they were freshmen, he knew there was something different about her. Without her knowing, she had provoked him to measure something he hadn't done before – keeping his sanity for only one girl for almost three years now.<p>

She wasn't the nicest girl in school, neither the prettiest. In actuality, she could be considered as one of the callous females in the academy. However, there was something in her that attracted him; and he's still in the process of finding that out.

He watched her as she placed her cup of caramel flavoured coffee on her lips, inhaled the bitter, yet saccharine sweet aroma of it, and finally, drank it sip by sip. He saw her shivered slightly as she closed her eyes, concealing her amber eyes from his view. The calm expression on her face was only by less than a minute for when she opened her eyes again, and found him staring at her, exasperation was painted on it next.

Setting back her cup on the plate, she drew her breath and placed her clasped her hands on the table. "So let me get this straight, you want me to be your girlfriend for a span of one month?"

Natsume gave a single nod and draped his right arm over the back of his seat. "Give it a try."

"Unbelievable," she let out a chuckle as she raked her waist length milk brown hair back. "You got any more tricks?"

"I can show you more in that one month." He singlehandedly answered without flaw. Who wouldn't want to be the girlfriend of Natsume Hyuuga? None, right? Because the mere idea of someone rejecting him would be preposterous; but there's always an exception, and Natsume Hyuuga was manoeuvring himself to get past that.

"Yeah right, as if anything like that would happen." Mikan rolled her eyes away from him. "You know Hyuuga, you really do amuse me. Maybe I might consider you're offer if you swear not to follow me anymore after that month ends."

"I could do that."

She was driving a hard bargain, but it would be fine, right? Yes, he would have to stop the traits he grew up with in high school once those thirty days expire. On the bright side, if Mikan would learn to return his feelings, then that meant that he was successful in constructing a bridge between the two of them, and his one month duration might turn to months, and then to years.

"Then we have a deal." She beamed at him, not the very happy one because she acquired herself a boyfriend, but the same as from a person who got out a jail. She reached out her hand to her, and he returned the actions with equal fervour, or probably more than hers.

She was going to let go of her hand when he fixed his hold on hers, pulled her towards him, and landed his lips on her right cheek. He murmured to her ears then, "True love's kiss, eh?"

Mikan pushed herself away from him and planned to slap him, when she recalled that he's her boyfriend now and that there's nothing wrong with what he did; except that she was sure herself, she wouldn't be able to go to sleep that night.

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><p>And she was correct.<p>

Mikan tried counting a flock of black and white sheep hopping over a fence, an entire school of fish jumping above the water, and a file of giants entering a club. She was a failure, much to her misfortune.

It was only three o'clock in the morning when she was able to successfully close her eyes and put herself into a deep slumber.

Time flew so fast for her, and she was woken up by an all-dressed-up Hotaru who pushed her out of her bed.

"Hurry up. I don't want to be late." The girl clad in their everyday uniform – white long sleeves over coated by a black hip-length coat with Alice Academy's insignia on the left chest, a chequered blue skirt, and matching black knee-high boots – stated. She left Mikan alone in her room, as the latter headed to her bathroom and took a quick bath.

When Mikan exited her bathroom, she directed herself to her closet adjacent to her, and pulled out her clothes and wore it in no less than eight minutes. She needed to hasten her weekday-routine or else, Hotaru would leave her.

She hopped down the stairs and was greeted with the wafting whiff of croissant and coffee, and the back of Hotaru who was gobbling up their breakfast.

She sat down across Hotaru, their square table providing them foods to suffice their palate for that morning. Today wasn't the perfect day though, because she had to eat her breakfast in rapid successions.

Once done, Mikan placed their plates inside a dish-washing machine, while Hotaru prepared herself. After doing all of the necessary thing they needed to do, as well as locking their doors, they headed to Alice Academy, which was just a ten-minute walk away from their house.

"So where did you go last night?" Hotaru asked.

"I got myself a knight in shining armour." The side of Mikan's lips were twitching as she claimed.

Hotaru quirked an eyebrow, incredulous of what her friend told her. "You mean a boyfriend?"

"Mmhmm... Trust me Hotaru, it's for the best. I hope." A sour chuckle escaped her lips.

They turned to the left and not from afar, their school was in sight. Mikan peered at her friend and noticed the scowl on her face. Sure, Hotaru was mad because Mikan hadn't told her beforehand.

"Who is it?"

"My stalker," Mikan paused and pursed her lips before continuing, "Hyuuga. I made a deal with him that after thirty days, we're cutting connections and he will not follow me anymore."

Hotaru nodded slightly, taking in the information Mikan told her. She was surprised though when Mikan suddenly asked of something.

"Hotaru, have I ever had a boyfriend before?"

Hotaru stopped her tracks, as Mikan continued walking. The latter only noticed that her friend lagged behind, and so, she walked back and pulled her best friend. "Forget that question. Let's go before we get late."

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><p>As what Rui had said, Luna Koizumi, the business manager of the Student Council gave Mikan her copy of the Alice Festival 2011 proposal, which was sealed in a brown envelope, as soon as she entered the gate.<p>

"Sakura-san, I've been waiting for you." Luna smiled. "Good morning to you Imai. Anyway, this is the proposal. I'll be leaving, bye!" The girl dashed out of their view as soon as she handed the envelope to Mikan.

"I'm suspicious of that girl." Hotaru noted, leaving Mikan to plant a smile on her lips.

"So as I, but whatever, leave her be. I don't know what has gotten to her, but she's showing good results." Mikan patted the envelope in her arms, and the two continued walking towards the building.

Hotaru arched her brow at her. "You're being soft on her."

"Naaww..."

"Yes, you are."

Mikan stifled a laugh. "No, I'm not. You're being delusional."

"We both know who's being a delusional."

Both have entered the building, and were soon going up the stairs. The increasing number of students that were racing here and there, just not to be late for their first class, caused the two girls delay. Had it been not for Hotaru's glare, and Mikan's straight-posture walk which emphasized her high position in the student council, they would have been late for their class, too, which comprised all those arithmetic-turned-complex stuff.


	3. The Game of Love

Disclaimer Noted.

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><p>Chapter Three – The Game of Love<p>

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><p>"Tell me you cheated Hotaru, tell me." Mikan shook the shoulders of Hotaru from behind; her one hand crumpling a part of her test paper in Math.<p>

"Baka, if you don't stop, I swear I'm going to kill you." Hotaru muttered under her breath as she slightly turned her head to her right, peering over her shoulder, at her best friend who had been shaking her ever since their math teacher, Jinno, exited their classroom.

Mikan protested. "I won't. Just because you perfected that pop quiz doesn't mean you can kill me." She knew that what she was doing annoyed the heck out of her best friend, but for her, it's just plainly impossible to perfect a surprise 45-point Math quiz. "Tell me you cheated."

"I did not. Everyone knows I'm a genius Mikan. Why are you so oblivious to it?" Hotaru grabbed the hands of Mikan and yanked it away from her. She took a seat at her chair which was a couple of steps away from them and took a rolled newspaper from her bag. "Oh, your boyfriend is behind you. God, kill me before I die out of his cheesiness." She bantered as she opened the first spread of her newspaper.

Mikan's eyes widened as she turned around, and saw Natsume Hyuuga marching towards her with a bouquet of various flowers in his hand, wrapped in a pink floral plastic with a white silk ribbon. The queues of girls outside their classroom, which Mikan supposed to be the same girls who have been squealing from afar while following Natsume, were all giving her a trying-hard glare; while, some of the guys were hooting for them.

"Hi, Mikan." Mikan didn't know if she was blushing because of anger or because of embarrassment when Natsume greeted her casually and handed her the bouquet in his hand.

She forced a smile onto her lips and replied, "Thank you for the flowers. May I have a word with you?"

"Sure, anything for my girlfriend." He purposefully raised his tone when he spoke of the last word, making sure that everyone heard it.

_Girlfriend?_

_I thought Sakura-san didn't like Hyuuga?_

_So she's just playing hard to get, eh?_

That was it. Mikan slapped her forehead; the frustration from this scene warming her up. She walked to the girl who articulated the last question that ticked her bomb off. "Get your facts straight, Misaka." The girl winced at the odious tone that Mikan employed in her warning. Mikan, then, faced the rest of the students who have gathered at the hallway. "All of you! Go back to your classrooms before I report you all to Jinno-sensei."

The students scampered away from them. Mikan decided to take this chance to haul Natsume away from the prying eyes of their classmates, and brought him outside the building. As they passed by the corridors, with her hand tugging him by his necktie, and the guy complying with her actions like a very much in love boyfriend, Mikan couldn't help but to think how she wanted to die.

"What were you thinking?" She released him as they arrived at the back of the building. "Hyuuga," She paused her breath and closed her eyes. When she opened her eyes, she saw her boyfriend leaning his back on a tree, a smirk alive in his lips. "What is this? What are the flowers for?" She asked, bringing the bouquet near his face.

He waved it off with his hand. "Flowers, what else? Are you that dumb?"

"I know what they are. Do you really want to humiliate me that much?"

"What?" Natsume glared at her. He stood up straight and neared her in slow steps, bringing Mikan's back to hit the back of an adjacent tree. "I'm not that low, _darling_. I wouldn't give anyone a bunch of _those_ things just because I want to humiliate them." He placed his right hand on the tree, just above her shoulder, and his other hand on the same position, encaging Mikan. He pierced her with his raging crimson pools.

Truly, it was making Mikan uncomfortable. Having Natsume this close to her really made her accept that she was forcing herself before to remain oblivious to his features. But she wouldn't back down. "You know, if I was another girl, and we're in a movie with a clichéd plot, I should be cowering under your extremities."

"Mhmm..." Natsume gave her a slight nod as he inched to her.

"But we're not, and I am not that girl. So this whole thing of caging me and looking at me with your eyes, which is supposed to be romantic and heart-racing, is not working for me. This game we are both playing, I wonder who'll give up fir—"

Natsume interrupted her. "If you're not going to shut up, I'm going to kiss you."

"Oh and look, you're not mad anymore. You're back to yourself, which proves that I am successful in driving out the dark forces inside you. Yura really taught me a lot. You know the key to keeping one sane is relaxing."

"You're not making sense anymore."

Mikan produced a nervous chuckle. "I'm not? I'm sorry I tend to be like this whe—"

"When you're nervous. I know that." He added. Mikan's eyes widened upon hearing him. But soon then, she narrowed her eyes at him. "H-how did you know that?"

"Let's say... three years of keeping up with you helped me." His forehead touched hers, and the tips of their noses were locked the second after.

Natsume gazed at the girl in front of him, taking in every angle of her face. The close proximity of their faces was something new to him, something he had wanted to achieve before. He could smell the strawberry scent of her shampoo, luring his senses to her. Mikan, on the under hand, was not in the point of love struck, but almost to the point of acknowledging that Natsume had his number of edges compared to the other guys who tried courting her before. Be it his roughly seamless physique, or his infamous yet superb background, or his annoying ways of persuading her, he never failed to show off his leads.

He was nearing his finishing move—closing the gap between the two of them—when Mikan suddenly placed the flowers between their lips, leaving his palate to the pastel-colored petals. He slightly tripped backwards as he hastily wiped his lips with the sleeves of his overcoat.

"I love you, honey." Mikan blew him a kiss before dashing away from him, certain that the guy would get back at her any time soon.

"Damn," he muttered under his breath as he trailed his eyes off the direction where Mikan went.

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><p>Roughly seven hours had passed after that scene. Mikan gazed at the span of differing hues of orange, yellow, and white above her, as she walked towards the green house located at the west of Alice Academy. The green house was built with a heptagon-shaped structure, roofed by a dome, all were made of glass. It housed the plants grown by the Botany Club of the Academy.<p>

She pushed the door and found the people she was looking for, beside a marble-fashioned fountain. They were sitting in around a round glass table and were having tea. The oldest noticed her by the door and he waved his hand at her. "You're just in time Mikan."

She returned the warm gesture with a bow and a smile, before approaching them. "Rui-senpai, Jinno sensei would like to talk to you." She reported.

"Aww, what does he want now?" Rui placed his cup with intricate designs on the table and stood up. "And I was having tea with Yura."

"I'll keep her company for now." Mikan assured, taking a seat across Yura.

Rui nodded at the both of them. "Okay. See ya! I'll be back even before you know it!" He danced his way out of the green house.

Yura poured Mikan her cup of tea and handed it to her. The latter sniffed the calming scent of the tea, and then took her sip. "Rui-senpai is weird." Yura began.

Mikan giggled and nodded. "He is he is. How are you my little Yura?"

"Don't call me that." She narrowed her eyes at Mikan. "Still the same. No, wait. My nightly meetings with my friends have often been distracted. Their pathway connecting our dimension from them is malfunctioning."

"Oh. I wish you luck."

"How about you Mikan? I have heard you are dating Mr. Natsume Hyuuga."

Mikan choked for a bit. She found it very funny whenever Yura called Natsume 'Mr. Natsume Hyuuga'. "Yes. What an unfortunate thing." She placed her cup on the table and raked her hair back. "He's been pushing me to my limits."

"He is in love with you, Mikan. But," The pausing of this girl caught Mikan's attention. Mikan had always been on guard for Yura's warnings even from before. "...do not lose yourself in this little game you have initiated. There will be more players who will join. My friends have suggested that you do not lose of your track."

"Do not lose my track, huh? I'll keep that in mind."

"Mmhmm..." Yura sipped her tea. She watched as Mikan fixed her stare at the distant sky and drew a long sigh. She knew her senpai took heed of the message she had conveyed from her friends from the other side.

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><p>An: Already tweaked this chapter. If you still find errors, tell me. I am still learning and I am open to suggestions. Please drop a review. :)


	4. A Visit to Kyoya Province

Disclaimer Noted.

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><p>Chapter Four – A Visit to Kyoya Province<p>

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><p>Mikan could never fathom (actually, swore never to do so) how her favorite junior was born in the same date and place with the little brother of the devil himself.<p>

Crossing her arms in front of her chest, she glared at the young, handsome lad standing a few feet before her. Both of his hands were placed on the side of his hips, looking like a distressed adult.

"Say how?" He asked in his monotonous voice. It scared Mikan how his voice could be compared to a matured man when in fact, he was just 15. He rubbed his temples and heaved a sigh.

"You heard what you heard. Why do I have to explain to you?" She answered.

"Yura would never agree to this."

Mikan grinned at him and waved her index finger at him. "That's where you got it wrong You-chan."

What. The... That was what Mikan perceived from Youichi's expression in that early morning of Saturday as she told him of Yura's indifference to Mikan's relationship with Natsume. His eyes widened, but for very short amount of time only for he was quick on regaining his composure.

Youichi sat on the couch on the left of Mikan. After about ten seconds of silence from him, he faced her and back on his face was his emotionless face. Mikan could clearly see the seething frustration in his teal eyes. "Just for the record, I still don't approve of any of that crap."

He bit the side of his lip shortly and added. "You... whatever you did to Natsume-nii three years ago is still a mystery to me, why he fell for a donkey like you."

Upon hearing the word 'donkey' which he usually used to insult her, Mikan fumed and pointed her forefinger at him. "Why... you disrespectful brat?"

He crossed his arms. "So the truth finally came out. Once an ugly donkey, always a donkey. Not only your face is ugly, but also your mouth."

Mikan would have wanted to say more, but both of their attention was called by a girl who running down the stairs. Her soft, curly gray hair was bouncing with every step she took. As she came to a halt at the last step, she looked at them. "Stop it the both of you. My friends were disturbed. Youichi, you're disrespecting Mikan-nee."

The eldest of the three stuck her tongue out at the scowling lad.

Youichi raised both of his hands and stood up. "I'm out of here. The donkey stinks."

"Youichi!" Yura hollered at the leaving Youichi. He ignored her and walked up the stairs, to his room.

Mikan stood up and patted Yura's shoulder, glancing at the back of Youichi before he closed his door. "Leave him be. You ready?"

Yura nodded and then, along with Mikan, left their abode.

* * *

><p>"There they are!" Rui, who was standing beside the driver's car of a big black van, called out upon seeing Mikan and Yura exit the taxi. He waved his hands at them and as well as to the driver of the taxi.<p>

A head popped out from the window. "What took you so long?" Sumire pulled her black shades down and raised an eyebrow at the two girls who were approaching them.

"Her twin held us back. But we're here now." Mikan shrugged, but something caught her eye, causing her to take a step back. "Something's wrong here." She stared at the big van that could probably hold about ten to twelve people inside.

Rui grinned. "Something?"

Yura took a step closer to the van and said, "Weren't we supposed to take the train?"

They heard the door of the other side of the van open, and came walking was Shizune. "Are we going to leave or what?" Displease was evident in her face and everyone knew that it's best not to push her limits any longer.

"You're right," all of a sudden, an arm was draped over Mikan's shoulder. Her eyes widened when she saw him. "My driver has been waiting too long."

Natsume looked at Mikan and smirked. "Hi babe." There was a glint in his crimson eyes, something that kinda irked the girl.

"What the hell are you doing here? This is supposed to be for the Student Council only. Why the hell are you here Hyuuga?" She removed his arm from her. "And don't you call me babe. Yuck!"

"Ouch," Natsume jabbed his balled fist on his chest and faked a hurt expression.

The people around them chuckled at the sight of the quarrelling couple. It wasn't everyday when you see Natsume Hyuuga being playful and Mikan Sakura screaming her head off.

Blush crept on Mikan's face as she pouted and turned away.

"Well cousin, I think we should go." Sumire ushered and opened the door.

"Hn." And he was back to his usual demeanor.

Natsume turned to Mikan and carried her bag even without her consent. "Let's go." She nodded and they entered the van.

"Oh, hi Luna!" Mikan greeted when she saw her sitting beside Shizune, who was beside Sumire.

"Hey Sakura-san." Luna smiled back.

Yura, Mikan, and Natsume, were sitting at the back respectively, while Rui took the seat beside their driver, Oda.

The youngest of all had a small smile on her face as she caught through the side of her eyes, the clasping of Natsume and Mikan's hands. She saw the jolting of Mikan but nevertheless, her senpai complied.

* * *

><p>A light flow of traffic met the group on the expressway. Rui smiled and decided to light up a conversation since the word 'silence' is barely on his dictionary. He looked at the mirror and saw the dead-beat eyes of his companions at the back, boring the insides of the van with their bored eyes.<p>

Luna was silently looking at the windows, Shizune was stiffly sitting in between the two girls, and Sumire was moving her head up and down while listening to the songs through her earphones. On the other hand, Yura was whispering in her soundless voice, incoherent words (which Rui supposed that she was trying to connect to her so-called friends), and Mikan and Natsume were staring away from each other.

"So guys... Have you heard the news last night?"

Shizune was quick to respond. "If it's about the fuss about the acquisition of the French governor of an electronic company here, yes, I heard of it."

"I saw it last night, too," Luna replied. "It's just an electronic company, why is the prime minister against it?"

"Because of the economic state of the country," Yura surprised her companions. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and leaned her back on the seat. "Let's say these foreigners help in making these hundreds to thousands of Japanese people by purchasing those companies on the down-fall by giving them work. What would that prove of Japanese entrepreneurs? It would be such a shame. But more than that, it would appear as modern day colonization. Imagine the humiliation that Japan would have to undergo."

Once again, Yura proved that she was nowhere to be belittled even though she was the youngest of all. She was an intelligent girl, critical to most things despite her weird liking and behaviour. She was also a very open-minded girl. Not to mention, she owned a different ghostly beauty. When one praised her, she gave her gratitude to her 'friends', saying that it was their help that made her who she was right now.

"Yes that is how it would look like from the views of the mass," The raven haired lad decided to join in the conversation, seeing that there was something he could contribute. A big factor that could ignite the conversation more. "However, in the background, that French governor is a part of an underground association."

Shizune turned her head to Natsume. "You mean like a mafia?"

There was silence in the next seconds. It wasn't really a secret that Natsume was more than just a part of what Shizune said. It was an indifferent word to Natsume, to the whole lot of them in the van. Natsume wasn't just a member of a mafia. He owned the faction controlling the undergrounds of this region of Japan.

Sumire's shoulders tensed for a bit as she glanced at Natsume. _Is he really going to go that far right now?_ She thought. Of course she knew a bit of what Natsume was going to say. After all, she's his cousin. She's very familiar of the life that Natsume lead, for she had to experience a little hell of it.

"Yes." That one word confirmed every thought running in Sumire's mind.

The guts of Natsume to speak of such delicate issue made Mikan to turn her focus on him. At the turn of her head, Natsume looked at Mikan, too, for a while. "What do you mean Natsume?"

"It's not much that I can give out. But that French governor holds a high position to a group much bigger than _us_. That is, a mafia made up of big shot people coming from different countries."

Each one of them had their own thoughts; something unsettling starting to crawl on their skins. Because what they had concluded from Yura's opinion and Natsume's dark revelation was a question of – what could this French governor want from purchasing an electronic company?

* * *

><p>Until they arrived at their destination – a small town on the west of Kyoya province, about two-hour drive from where they came from, no one spoke of the intense topic they had. Instead, they amused themselves with the beauty of the countryside, still untouched by the modernization.<p>

A gush of cold breeze welcomed them as they exited the van. Lining up in the neighbourhood were medium-sized to big traditional Japanese homes and Cherry Blossom trees separating the road from the vast green riches of the province.

The van was parked in front of a big house, barricaded by a three-meter high wall painted in pale yellow. It was owned by Rui's family.

After a series of door bell, the tall brown gate opened and came out was a middle-aged couple.

"Rui-sama, I apologize for the delay." The woman, wearing a light blue kimono, bowed. The man beside her bowed, too.

"It's okay. My friends were enjoying the scenery. Good thing I remembered ringing the door bell." Rui laughed.

He clapped his hands and it immediately fished the attention of the others. As they faced him, he introduced the caretakers of their rest house, Kyoko, the old woman who's running the age of forty-eight, and her husband, Raito who is fifty years old.

Everyone introduced themselves, too. When they were done, they all entered the house, while Raito told Oda to park the car inside, instead of leaving it on the road.

Kyoko led them to the living room of the house, which had the perfect view of the pond and the garden just outside. They were all given a soft cushion pillow to sit on as they were arranged around a low, rectangular table. She served them each a freshly brewed tea before excusing herself to prepare the food while they rest.

"This is a nice villa Rui." Shizune remarked as she placed her cup down. They all listened to the fine tune as the birds sang and the humming of the wind. It was very relaxing.

Rui smiled at her in reply.

"It's nice to be outside the city once in a while." Mikan whispered. Her eyes were gazing at a tree stump beside the pond. Somehow, it felt nostalgic to her but she couldn't figure out what it was.

Sumire yawned, stretching her arms upward. "Do remind me why we are here again."

"Rui said so." Luna, in between her sips, said. "We are going to plan the Festival, yes?"

"Yes, after our lunch. Although, if you're sleepy, just say so, we could rest for a bit." Their president cheerfully answered while tying his blonde hair.

His classmate, who was sitting beside him, commented. "Well Rui, don't beat 'round the bushes. You just want to sleep, do you?"

Rui waved his hand back and forth and the other covering his lips. "Oh Shizune, don't be so hard on me now."

Sumire grinned. "That sounded so wrong. Tsk tsk."

The rest chuckled after hearing Sumire's comment. Not so long after, Kyoko appeared on the door, telling them that their lunch was prepared.

* * *

><p>"You've been awfully quiet." Sumire walked to her cousin who was standing alone at the garden. She saw the clumps of clouds and knew that he had been smoking.<p>

Ever since they entered the house, she noticed that Natsume had been keeping to himself. His teasing to Mikan was even lesser than usual. After their lunch, she finally saw her chance to confront him and ask him what was bothering him. What was that thing that kept him distant; that particular matter why he wasn't himself?

"Tch."

She drew a sigh and neared him. She snatched his cigarette and threw it in the ground, crushing it with her heels. "Stop smoking."

He glared at her, agitated that the thing that's keeping him calm for now was gone. "What the hell is your problem?"

Sumire shook her head. "That's not the cousin I know."

Natsume closed his eyes for a second and breathed. "You noticed, didn't you?"

"What?" She gave him a puzzled look.

"Everything." He stared at her hard, trying to rely to her what he had been saying.

Sumire swivelled her head, taking in the details of her surroundings. She, then, faced him and nodded. "Yes." She whispered.

From far away, inside the house, peeping from a window was Mikan Sakura. She was very curious to what Sumire and Natsume were discreetly taking about. It wasn't that she was jealous or something, because she's never liked Natsume anyway. However, her curiosity was killing her. So she left her place and decided to surprise them. But even before she could exit the door to the garden, Sumire left her cousin alone, leaving Mikan to stop her tracks in disappointment.

* * *

><p>An: Christmas vacation is here! I am back from my hiatus.

So, lovely people from here, please drop a review.


	5. The Inevitable Rain

Disclaimer Noted.

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><p>Chapter 5 – The Inevitable Rain<p>

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><p>A thunder clapped before everything began. Thick, gray to black clouds crawled slightly before the vast, bright sky, concluding the hopes of the upbeat citizens in the province of Kyoya. A few minutes passed and the rain poured down. It was as heavy as it started to come down, unaccompanied by the wind. Not one individual dared to even step outside their doors.<p>

It was such a mood killer, Mikan thought as she gazed at the continuous downpour. She sat on her knees, while her clasped hands were laid on her lap. Just a while ago, she was...

Wait... what was she doing a while ago again? What did she cease doing? She protested under her breath as she scratched her head.

But of course, she was on the meeting with the council. Before that, though, she was stalking Natsume and Sumire, not long after when she was hauled into the meeting room by Rui so they could finalize their preparations. Sumire, then, came barging inside the room.

Right now, she sat on the floor of her room, waiting to be called for their supper. She had to excuse herself for an earlier exit in the meeting because of her sudden headache. Reason: still unknown.

She just felt like a needle pierced through her left temple, electricity began drifting in her head and the result was obvious. The pain was lesser than the definition of excruciating, yet it was enough not to be ignored.

_Knock... Knock_...

Mikan turned her head to the door upon hearing the first sound coming from outside the room. She got to her feet and walked-ran to the door.

"What happened?" Asked Natsume when Mikan opened the door. He sluggishly stood outside, hands inside his pockets, and visage unfathomable. The hood of his jacket was placed on his head. He was as always, handsome. Far different from others even in his lethargic state.

"You want to come in, I suppose," Mikan said. She pulled the door inside the room when Natsume bobbed his head down.

"It's dark in here," the lad commented as he entered. His eyes followed the back of Mikan, who was walking towards her four-poster bed, but his fingers reached for the switch on the wall. The medium-sized flower bulb attached at the center of the ceiling lightened up immediately when he turned the switch on.

His crimson eyes travelled on the pitch walls of the room, the bed placed against the center of the wall across him, and other common furniture one could see in ordinary room. Then, he looked at the girl sitting on the edge of the bed. Her face was a sheer contrast to the color of the room and her fingers were digging the skin of the left side of her forehead.

"The thing is," he said, slowly marching toward her, "You barely say anything to me. I'm not as bad as you thought of me or what most said." He leaned his lanky body on the post of the bed near to her.

Mikan lifted her head up, her eyes meeting his for about three seconds, before averting them in case any further... Further what?

She snorted and dismissed the question herself. As she crossed her legs, she dragged her fingers down to her cheek and rested her elbow on her knee. "You should worry more of yourself than me. But do have a seat." She nodded at the chair across the bed.

There she went again. She was enclosed in a bubble, a state wherein she's too far too reach, and when held, will vanish. It was her way to distance herself. She would talk, yes. But her words would mean nothing. It was as if, he would be listening to a robot. He expected that by the end of this, nothing would connect. No two points would be proven constructive for future use.

"You don't mind me taking the floor, would you?" He didn't wait for her decision, there's no need for such. So he took about three steps to the left side of her bed and sat down, leaning his back on the bed. He removed for his hood, looked up, and found the unwary expression on her face. No one would mistake her pale lips which were slightly apart, an indication of her difficulty in breathing. He couldn't not ignore this, had his worry for her didn't surface in an impulse. "Why don't you go rest?"

The stare she was giving at him hardened and her body tensed. He thought it was a bit strange, to have her startled. He knew of that look. Not from her. From the people he took down on his jobs, on nights that he had to go out with his men to score through disputes. She held the face of his prey. Her expression, by definition.

"They won't let you pass if you just rest, do you know what I'm talking about?" She asked. Natsume nodded his head and was surprised when she crawled to her bed and laid down. He didn't know actually what she was talking about, but he had at least thought that he had himself his own share of experience regarding that. Soon, she sat on the pillows, back against the bed header. "Come sit on the edge."

Mikan was indeed acting strange. Yet, he complied and made himself comfortable against the poster of her bed where she first laid her back.

"To be truthful, I can barely comprehend anything that's happening in the world outside," she shrugged and began twirling her hair. "Hotaru, the council, and the school, those three make up most of my day. Probably, _you_, too, with your annoying tactics. Why am I saying this to you? Maybe because I sort of think I can trust you. Or, something tells me that I need to take a rest of these thoughts. You know, before I kill myself."

"You've always been awkward," Natsume crossed his arms in front of him.

She nodded. "They say the same. I'd hear but the repetition of words. But I'm not here to please them, no? We are not having this talk so I could ponder on how I could achieve seeing them flaunt that they have succeeded in their plans. Speaking, however, in wise words, I'm here to relieve my stress. Those burdens, you have them, don't you?" When she got another nod from him, she continued. "Aside from that, there are matters I want to speak with you. I am terribly perplexed right now. I know that what I am saying is nothing but mazes with no exit points or a blank paper that will never be stained."

"I can say no more," he looked at her breathe.

"I cannot make up my mind," Mikan kept on twirling her hair. "Why did I agree to date you? Why am I in the council? Why am I here? Why..." her words trailed off as she averted her eyes at the window. It was still raining and by the noise it made, it was getting stronger. The fast-paced skidding of the rain drops on the window glass was entertaining her, he supposed.

The silence between them was deafening. But it was the tool for Natsume to think of what she had said. He watched her with keen eyes. Her blue dress was tinged with wrinkles, her light brown hair, cascading on her back and shoulders, held her like she was a child, and her exposed thighs and legs bent beside her was urging him with desire. In his eyes, she was skinned-off from her callous sheath. She was nothing but a frail little girl, who was still wandering in the world detrimental to her.

Who was the real her? The ruthless vice-president of their school, or this girl who's frailty was tempting?

In the end, she was just a mystery to him. In the end, nothing connected.

* * *

><p>The weather was just the same in Tokyo. Hovering above the sky were ominous clouds and unbroken chains of rain was falling, soaking every part of the ground, leaving nothing dry. Only three out of ten people could be seen walking outside, trying their best not to be worn out by the downpour. Still, the roads were packed with cars. Never mind the frictionless cemented land, those people inside their vehicles had work, appointments, or homes to get to. The rain was inevitable.<p>

Alone inside a coffee shop, Hotaru sat on her soft couch beside the window. She sipped on her porcelain cup, the bittersweet aroma of her coffee wafting through her senses. The dry and cool environment inside the shop was indeed contrast to the condition outside. It was pacifying her thoughts. Because she knew, the rain was inevitable.

Her thoughts were shifted to the events of last night—the reason why she was in the coffee shop right now. It took last night's TV news and a phone call just to get Hotaru Imai coming for a coffee break. Even though soaked in her thoughts, she still felt that someone was watching her, eyes nearing and nearing her parameter.

"Is the rain enough as companion or can I fill in that spot?"

Hotaru placed her cup on the plate, and looked at the guy who was towering before her. She didn't show a hint of surprise, but only hostility toward the man. He removed his shades and revealed his dark brown eyes. She sharpened her eyes at him. "Hi, Hotaru."

"Cut the crap. Take the seat if you want. I'm leaving." She gathered her bag and jacket and stood up, only to be held back by the guy. He cocked his head to the left, his sandy brown fringes swaying to his movement, and grinned, "Not so fast. You don't want me making a scene here, or have you changed and rather I do?" His eyes travelled from her feet to her head and met her stern look. "But by the looks of it, you haven't. Only—"

"Shut it," Hotaru plopped back to her chair and crossed her arms in front of her. The lad did the same, on the chair across her. "What are you doing here Koko?"

The lad named Koko raised his hand and called for a waiter. "One cappuccino please," he ordered when a waiter wearing a red vest over his white long sleeves and matching black slacks came. He left immediately after getting Koko's order.

Koko crossed his legs and removed his brown jacket with furs on the collar, and folded it on the arm of his chair. "Can I not visit my _ex-girlfriend_ here in Japan?" His stressing of the word ex-girlfriend made Hotaru cringe inwardly.

"It was a fault to date you in the beginning," she spat. She was interrupted when the waiter came and gave Koko's order. The latter thanked the waiter and handed his payment.

Koko neared his cup to his lips and said before sipping, "It never looked that way to me the whole time."

"You must have been blind. Or did that fake plane crash of yours was actually true that it impaired your senses?"

"Am I hearing about your grudges? Should I have pitied you after lying that much?" His mocking was evident in his tone as he placed his cup on the table. He positioned himself comfortable on his seat and looked at Hotaru, who was at that time fuming inside, yet as still as the calm sea on a fine weather. "Come to think of it, in fact, we never broke up. There was no agreement of such."

"Why are you really here?"

Koko chuckled. "Being evasive are we. I'm sorry, did I hurt you? I shouldn't have left you, eh? But I'm back, Hotaru. This is what you truly wanted right?"

Hotaru, seething in anger, still managed for her composure. He was reeking with malice. He was bringing back the past that haunted her. "You're cheap to even get a flight to here. I know you."

He pummelled his palms on the table and leaned towards her. "Where did I learn of that again?"

From the close proximity, she could see that he was still the handsome lad she used to date before. His deep brown eyes were luring her to him. His cheekbone and jaw was more defined. She could smell the minty scent of his after-shave. And that scar near his hairline, the one she caused him before, was there. It revived her of the bygone days of him with her. But his face had changed from when he first met her, where his gentle side was palpable enough to attract her. And now, it was a deserted place. Only the depraved haunted his features.

What have they done to him? She thought as she curled her fingers on the couch. She was at all, angry. Misdirected or not, she felt infuriated.

She couldn't hold it anymore. So she collected her things and stood up. "I was fourteen and younger," she looked at him determinedly. "I care for you no longer. I'm out of here," she spun her heels and walked to the door.

Koko got to his feet and ran to her pace. He grabbed her elbow, turned her to face him and planted his lips on hers. After about five seconds, he released her and licked his lips, while looking at the stern amethyst pools of Hotaru. "Yeah, you never lost your taste. Still sweet like before. I'm getting you back Hotaru, I'm getting you back." With that, he exited the coffee shop, leaving a shocked Hotaru on her feet.

She slowly touched her lips, feeling his cold mark on her. She hastily wiped it with her sleeves, as the realization dawned upon her. He wasn't the same Koko. "Damn you, Yome."


	6. I Trust You

Disclaimer Noted

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><p>Chapter 6 – I Trust You<p>

* * *

><p>The weekend passed by quickly and long gone the days of the rain and bubble wrapped Mikan Sakura. After her short and subjective—<em>if it could be called<em>—talk with Natsume, which remained fuzzy in her memory, she was back on her firm stature. She gorged herself with the scrumptious supper prepared by Kyoko. In their meeting the next day, she summoned herself the audience of her co-members, letting them listen to what she thought would be better and bad for the upcoming festival. At two in the afternoon, they packed up and bid their goodbyes to the couple who tended the Amane Manor. Their weekend was at all productive.

On their way home, inside the van, Mikan allowed Natsume the company of her shoulder. They all noticed that he had fallen asleep, his head leaning on the window. With the help of the coaxing of her friends, Mikan decided to pull Natsume's head to her shoulder and let him sleep.

"He's not such a bad guy Mikan," Sumire told Mikan as she glanced at them with a smile. Who could better speak for Natsume than his own cousin?

"Just this once..." Mikan glanced at the lad. She giggled when his fringes softly tickled her cheeks. So she grabbed his cap on his lap and covered his face with it. "Much better."

Natsume awoke when the van halted in front of Mikan two-story house. Waiting by the door step was her best friend, Hotaru, who held an incomprehensible expression on her face. Mikan's face instantaneously lightened up as she stepped off the van and saw her aloof of a friend.

He carried her bags for her to their door and watched the glee-filled face of Mikan when she tackled Hotaru with her hug.

"I'm leaving," he walked back to the van when Mikan thanked him. And they lived happily ever after.

The end.

It would actually be very pleasant if indeed that would be the ending that everyone was looking for. But it wasn't. And that Sunday afternoon was just the count to three to formally open the curtains of this story.

In other words, deeper matters were just about to begin.

* * *

><p>Mikan had been dead worried for she felt the feint in Hotaru's actions and words. Her best friend wasn't herself at all. Audacious as she was, she interrogated Hotaru to no avail. Hotaru only shook her of.<p>

"You're counting false accounts."

That would be her response each time. So Mikan decided to drop the subject that night and let herself get a toast of peace. Maybe she was just over thinking things like what Hotaru said. Maybe she didn't need to worry at all. Maybe they were just figments of her imagination.

That Hotaru didn't throw her off when she hugged her when she came home. That Hotaru did the cooking in her stead. That Hotaru was keeping too much to herself. That Hotaru's face was akin to a girl who lost her love. Highly unlikely, but never proven untrue.

Because who was she to know? She was after all, living a life where she woke up and slept each day with the company of Hotaru. She never knew other than that.

_Never knew other than that_.

"Good morning, Mikan," she stirred from her thoughts as she heard a chirpy voice blew in her left ear. She peered over her shoulder and saw her friend Nonoko.

Nonoko Ogasawara, her seatmate, just arrived at school. A frown was on her face as she sat beside Mikan. Suddenly, she thumped her forehead on her desk, sprawling her blue hair on the desk. "I slept so late last night. I feel as if I'm going to fall anytime soon."

Mikan checked her wristwatch and saw that it was five to eight o'clock in the morning. Nonoko actually was late, but no later than their teacher. "Our teacher's late. I wonder what happened."

She was certain that Nonoko had been talking to her, her mouth was moving incessantly. But Mikan was more curious to the sudden nervousness she felt. Her hands were getting sweaty and her heart was thumping loudly, enough to deafen her, but not her companion.

Her classmates silenced themselves when their homeroom teacher arrived. He brought with him a lad, wearing the same uniform the male population in this school had. Their blonde male of a teacher, who held a big smile on his face, asked the guy to introduce himself to them. Mikan did try to stay focused on what's happening and listen to him. Her effort was futile though. But, she swore that before she fainted, she saw the intense stare of the lad at her.

* * *

><p>She awoke at the sound of the nurse's voice.<p>

"Ah yes, she's here. Wait a sec," the sound of the footsteps of the nurse drew closer to her, and soon, her curtain was pulled to the side. "Miss Sakura, you're awake. Thank goodness," she exclaimed and then turned her head to the door. "She's awake. You can go to her, however, she needs more rest."

"I won't be too long," Hotaru told the nurse.

"Okay."

Hotaru proceeded to Mikan's bed and drew the curtains close. She sat on the right side of the bed Mikan, just beside her waist.

Mikan was keenly observing her best friend. She sensed as if Hotaru had a hundred words to say, but she couldn't figure out where to start. There was an allusion of dejection in her face that anyone would rarely see, or maybe no one could really perceive without knowing the ordinary day-to-day face of Hotaru. No one but Mikan. The silence between them was starting to become suffocating, so she opted to open her lips first.

"I had a dream," she began. She paused a bit to take a deep breath and to see if there would be any changes in Hotaru's expression. Indeed there was. Her eyes full of aloofness to her surroundings grew in a split second. "I was in a dark space and I was running from someone. There was no ceiling or any floor and every step I took, I was afraid that I would fall. No one was there but the two of us, me and my chaser. I felt like I've been running for hours, my legs were growing tired, but I didn't stop. I didn't stop, because I was hoping that at the end of that place, I'd find someone or at least an exit. But there was none. And this guy that's been running after me was wearing a mask and there was a gun in his hand. I was really scared that I chose to run and run and run. I knew I was screaming, yet there was no voice coming out from me."

"And all of a sudden, I found a door. It was open. So I took my chance, and when I grabbed the knob and pulled the door open, I found myself in a city. It was pouring real hard. I thought I'd feel safer because there were a lot of people outside. But, no. I kept on calling for help but no one turned their head for me. No one helped me. The guy who was chasing me was still chasing me. Only this time, he wasn't wearing his mask anymore, but his face was blurred from my vision. He shot, you know, but missed. Luckily," she felt a tear trickling down her cheek. She lifted her hand and touched her cheek. She tried hard to suppress it, but the more she did, the more of her tears came out.

"Mikan," Hotaru pressed her other hand that was still lying on the bed.

"I don't know why I'm crying Hotaru. This is pathetic. This isn't me. I shouldn't be crying over a dream. What the hell, right?"

"There's more in your dream. Come on, tell me. I'm the only one who can help you."

Mikan looked to the left to avoid Hotaru's gaze. She didn't know if she could tell more. But probably, Hotaru was right. She was the only one who could help her. And besides, it was just a dream. "I tripped on a menu stand outside a restaurant. Can you imagine that? Me, tripping? So I fell and the guy who was chasing me got to me. He pointed his gun at my forehead, point blank. I was ready for my death, but I didn't know if I was anymore when my vision became clear and I finally found out who the person chasing me was. It wasn't a guy at all. It was a girl. She pointed her gun at my forehead. The person was..."

Hotaru gripped her hand tighter. "It was me and I shot you."

Mikan nodded. "Why would I have a dream like that? Everything felt real and insanely real. But I know it wasn't. I know it wasn't. My mind was just playing games with me."

"You have been thinking too much of me. I already told you that there's nothing wrong with me. I'm perfectly fine." Hotaru let go of her hand and stood up and grabbed the tissue box. She sat back and handed Mikan a couple of tissue papers. "Now, wipe your face. You'll look uglier with those tears."

"You're Hotaru alright," Mikan roughly wiped her face with the tissue papers and threw them on the bin after. She turned to Hotaru then. "It's your turn."

"What turn?"

"I'm your best friend and I have every right to ask you things and get an answer from you," she sat up straight and raked her hair. "I know you're lying and you're not fine. Something happened in the weekend and I'm inclined to know whatever it is. You know me Hotaru. I'm not going to stop until I hear what I need to hear." She sternly clocked every movement of Hotaru and saw her heave a sigh. "Don't even think about lying or caking up the truth with another fact."

"Are you really sick?"

"I just fainted. Nothing serious."

Tensed shoulders. Swerving pupils. Fingers curling. A gloomy face. This wasn't the normal picture of a perfect Hotaru. The perfect Hotaru owned a confident and smug-shot smirk. Her sparkling violet eyes would send shivers to the eyes of her victim... _or rather, victims_. Her fingers would be tapping one after the other, creating a sinister sound that would add more chill to her prospect. She had to be perfectly beautiful, yet intimidating. She wasn't supposed to be like this.

"Look..."

"No, Hotaru, no. Just please tell me what you're going through right now," Mikan pleaded as she shook her head. She looked at Hotaru with her determined eyes, conveying her message that she wouldn't drop the subject no matter what. She knew that coaxing Hotaru was a difficult task, set at its extremity. If there's anything that could help her, even it would be strenuous, she would take her chances.

"His name is Koko," Mikan, surprised when Hotaru spoke, could hear the bitterness and sadness in her best friend's voice. There was a trail of doubt in her starting line. "Koko is the new student... and uh, he's my ex, back in France. He got involved in some trouble that's why I broke it off with him. I met him last Saturday in this coffee shop, and he said that he wanted me back."

"Hotaru..." She bit her lip. Now she grew guilty for asking Hotaru. Had she known that her best friend's lack of herself lately was because of her lost love trying to come back was the reason for that, she wouldn't have forced her. But the thing was, she didn't know.

Hotaru shrugged. "I don't know Mikan. I don't understand. I don't have..._that thing_ for him anymore. To be honest, I loathe him."

Mikan opened her lips, wanting to say something. "I—" But Hotaru cut her to it. "I'm fine, idiot. I'm 100 percent you aren't sure what to say. I understand that, too. Everything's cool... except for _him_."

"I thought I needed to say something. You really know me well."

Hotaru smirked at her. _She's back to her usual self_. "Mikan, promise me that you will never get near him. Promise me that you will never, ever listen to whatever he says. Promise me, or I will kill you with my own hands."

"Oh I know you will Hotaru," Mikan giggled as she squeezed Hotaru's hands.

Hotaru stared at their hands resignedly and sighed. She nodded and tapped her friend's hands and stood up. "I'm tired. I'm going back to the classroom."

"Okay. Take care Hotaru."

"I'll send Hyuuga to take you home later. Bye."

Mikan wanted to say no. However, she could read in Hotaru's eyes that she was trying to protect her. She also felt that her friend was carrying something heavier than what she just said. She couldn't afford to be a bother right now. Hotaru was already troubled with this Koko. She didn't need any other jeopardy.

She sunk back to her bed and pulled her blanket up to her face. She hated the fact that she felt so hopeless and useless at this time. Her wanting to help Hotaru wasn't a bad thing; in fact, it could—maybe—ease the mixed up feelings inside her best friend. However, she didn't know how she could help, and she was certain that her being not involved in any matters with that Koko, in case where she listened to Hotaru, was the best she could do right now. She just gotta trust Hotaru.

Before she knew it, she already fell asleep again.

* * *

><p>"<em>I trust that you know what you're doing.<em>"

Mikan awoke at the grazing sound made by someone who dragged the chair close her bed. As much as she wanted to go back to sleep, she couldn't stand the sound that had stopped already before she could flutter her eyes open and scold whoever that person was for waking her.

The perfume was enough to tell her who that person was. Okay, it's not that she got addicted to it. It was just that it smelled so damn good when they were sitting together, plus he's the only one she knew who uses that perfume, that she figured out his identity just by inhaling the waft of his familiar spray.

She opened her eyes and stared at the vast late afternoon sky painted in hues of orange, yellow, and red through the window to her left. There were three thin sheets of clouds that were floating. Afar from their school were two mountains, and in between was the sun, ready to set in about half an hour. This view was giving her a peaceful feeling.

When she was done looking at this, she aimed her stare at Natsume, sitting at the chair at the right of her bed. His back was leaning on the chair and each of his arms was placed on the arms of the chair. His face was blank except for the crease above his eyebrows and his eyes that looked tired. How long had he been here? She asked herself.

Them staring at each lasted for about three minutes. It was Natsume who broke the gap. "I already talked to Hotaru."

Mikan didn't respond. She was just fiddling her fingers. It seemed to Natsume that she was thinking of what to say. She looked, as always, beautiful. But there was something in her eyes... It was something like a crack, a fault, an imperfection amidst her perfection which he recognized. It was fear, but not fear. It was this something in her... this tendency of hers to commit something. It was this grey spark in her eyes that one would only see if he thought he had already grasped her anonymity. He knew what it was. But why did she hold that kind of indication?

"I'm bringing you out to dinner tonight. If that's okay with you," He continued, still scrutinizing any signs of agreement or opposition from her.

"Umm... okay. Let me just get up."

Natsume nodded. He waited for her to rise and then helped her with her stuff. As they got out the infirmary with Mikan on the lead, he heard her speak. "I'm becoming pathetic, don't you think?"

He had no clue how to answer her. This wasn't Mikan. If she was the tactless girl as she often was, he would surely mock her out. But Mikan wasn't being Mikan.

"Look, if you're tired, I'll just send you home," he suggested.

They were almost at the main door of the building when they halted. Mikan turned towards him. "Honestly, I'm not hungry. Maybe you've figured out that, that's why you'll just walk or drive me home. But the thing is I don't want to go home, yet. Hotaru's there and it's not that I don't wanna talk to her or see her because she gave you permission to bring me anywhere, all by herself. I don't think your compromise was like that. It's just that there are a lot of things and I'm confused. I just want to talk to someone I can trust."

Natsume was unsure, but he held her left hand lightly.

"I'm trying to be indifferent to you, Natsume. It was unfair of me to just accept your deal without thinking it through and through, without thinking of your feelings. Now... now I know that even something like this shouldn't be taken lightly. So what I'm saying is," she closed her eyes, breathed, and as she opened them again, looked straight Natsume into his eyes. "I want to give this a shot."

He was surprised at what he had heard. He felt her grip on his hand tighter.

"And well, you know, if this doesn't end well, we could still be friends. The fact now that I'm facing is that I want to trust you. I need to trust you. That is all I want to hold right now."

He didn't know what to say. Just what was in this girl that could make him feel like he was a shock-absorber every time?

To say that he was glad was an understatement. It didn't matter to him that she didn't spoke of sugary words. He didn't fell for her because of those anyway. To him, those were enough to paint his cheeks a tint of light pink.

He was a man in... _love_, with a beautiful, but ruthless and tactless vice-president of their school.

He regained his composure and for the first time, after hearing so much from her, said, "If that's the case, then I want to make it right."

Both smiled at each other and this time, it was Natsume who led their way to the outside world. He drove the car to a place where he thought Mikan would be at ease in her condition.

It was ten past six when they arrived at a park atop a hill, where they could see the city of Tokyo. The sky was completely dark by now and the tiny lights emitted by the glowing windows of the high-rise buildings and cars jammed in the road acted as the stars that weren't present in the sky, yet, at that time. To the north-east of them, behind the gigantic edifices, was Alice Academy.

Natsume parked the car. "Do you want to go out?"

With a smile on her face, Mikan nodded and she jumped outside as she opened the door beside her. Natsume exited his car, too, and walked in front of his car, where Mikan also stood, stretching her arms forward.

"I like this place. It feels good in here," said Mikan as she walked to a wooden bench about five feet away from the car.

"I used to go here with my sister. She liked it here, too." Natsume sat on the bench beside Mikan. "Putting that aside, what do you have in mind?"

Mikan could somehow, though perplexed, feel that Natsume didn't want to talk about his sister. He telling her about that was probably an urge of something in him. "Will you listen to me?"

He nodded. He wasn't looking at her, but he showed that he was intently listening to her. He was bent forward and his arms were on his laps, while his hands were clasped and over his knees.

"The truth is I don't know if I really know Hotaru. I'm afraid. Not of her, but to this feeling that as the years pass by, I'm slowly drifting away from the 'real' her. Or put it this way, I am not fully aware of the Hotaru I know." Mikan placed her hands on her lap and glanced at the empty sky above them. A gush of wind blew softly between her and Natsume from behind, to the space before them.

"Now, she's carrying this burden and I don't know how to help her. And then I thought, it is I who I don't really know. I act base on what I think I should do, on what I feel to do, less on what I know what I must do. It was like I woke up from a very deep slumber, and when I saw the real world again, everything was different. I feel that my environment has changed. But my question was, what was in the past? What... what happened?" She pointed with a sigh.

Natsume, as he finally looked at her, chose not to punctuate at this moment. He knew she was still going to continue.

"Sometimes, I think, I'm not meant for this world. I don't necessarily mean that I'm supposed to be dead, but I could mean that, too. Instead, I'm ought to be living another life. I've always feared, but maybe, just maybe I'm not vice-president material, or any school politician. I want to be real. Get what I mean?"

Natsume took her chin and shook his head. "This... this is real. You're real, Mikan. Wishing for something like that isn't going to solve your problem. Maybe you did have a choice of living which life, and you chose this. This is where you ought to be."

Mikan nodded and moved towards him. She placed her head over his right shoulder. "How certain you are Natsume?"

He cupped both of her shoulders when she pulled away, and gazed at her. How he wished there was no cloud of regret or doubt on his face so she would believe him. "Because like you, I woke up and asked myself 'Where am I?' a million times. And each time, you're the answer to that."

Slowly, he reached for her and gently kissed her forehead, leaving a tinge of pink on her cheeks.

* * *

><p>An: As you can see, almost everyone's a bit OOC in this chapter. Like this one or not, kindly drop a review and tell me what you think of this chapter. Thank you. :)

_Elle_


	7. Blinded From Euphoria

Disclaimer Noted.

* * *

><p>Chapter 7 – Blinded From Euphoria<p>

* * *

><p>Natsume still couldn't get over the fact that she actually considered giving him a chance in this month-long relationship.<p>

In all honesty, he was uncertain if he could call it a 'relationship' at first, given that Mikan never showed interest in him and was just after the end of the term, when they would part ways. He was feeling that it was just apt for him to thank the reason for her change of mind. But he thought that there was no need for that. What's important was the present.

No matter how tough he was, in both life of his, with just a word or two from this girl, all of him could be swept away. Like that curve in his lips, which he thought he wouldn't be able to erase before anyone could take a glance at it. Or like that implausible attention he was giving to Ruka's stories that particular morning, when normally, he would just nod it off.

He was close to the hackneyed definition of a man in a certain state only one would see in the movies. In fact, he mulled over the idea of his life being on par with those in the movies and novels.

A young mafia boss in love.

He swore to himself that he wouldn't let go of this girl. He knew it was too early for that, but for someone like him, time was too precious. Every second counted. Because no one knew what could happen after that. He'd make her happy every second. He'd make her want not to separate with him. He'd make her realize that he's a thousand worth it than any other guy.

"Ruka," he called out to his best friend.

Ruka took a large bite from his sandwich as he stared at him. "What?"

Natsume narrowed his eyes as he looked disgustingly at his best friend, who was noisily chewing his ham sandwich. This best friend of his, despite his prince-like looks, could actually be so ghastly at times. "Stop that," with his facial features scrunched up he said.

"Come again," this time, Ruka bit a larger portion, trying to work up Natsume's nerves. Having stayed with Natsume for so long, he was indeed very much sure how to annoy the young man.

Natsume shot him a glare, but he just ignored it. So with a grumble, Natsume sighed in defeat. "Tch. So, do you have any idea what I can do to, uh..."

Ruka swallowed his food and smiled slyly at him, as if knowing what he was intending to ask. "Take her out on a date."

"Date?"

He took a sip from his canned orange juice and nodded. "Yeah, a date. You go out and do all those cute stuff for girls. Since you know, you're just starting out."

Natsume arched his brow at him. "Forget cute. I think that girl doesn't know any—" he was cut off by Ruka, who took one of his shoulders and waved his forefinger at him.

"Girls are weak for cute things. They have a soft spot for that. Believe me, or believe me." Ruka nodded at himself. "Like boys getting weak for girls."

Natsume pondered about what his best friend said. Cute? Really, forget about that. Mikan was like a ruthless talking machine. She's going to drive her target insane. If it wasn't for his super confidence and undying determination, he would have given up the moment he saw what kind of punishment she gave to students who were sent for detention when she was asked by Jinno to be his substitute for that day. It was a miracle that Jinno did that, but it was more of a miracle that those students got out alive and still able to use their ears.

Besides, he didn't have any clue what kind of cute thing he should do. Should it be fluffy? Soft? Cuddly? Pink? It was driving him nuts. And a date. Just where he could he take her out? Some place that could be associated with the word _cute_.

Ruka was suppressing his laughter. Natsume could clearly see that. He wanted to get mad. But for what? Ruka did nothing wrong.

"Forget it. You don't have any plans on helping me, do you?" Natsume stood up and dusted his pants. They have been under the big tree in the back of the school building for thirty minutes already.

Ruka winced. "It's not like that, Natsume. Just think about my suggestion."

"Yeah, whatever."

* * *

><p>"Be careful, or you'll get pricked."<p>

Mikan pulled her hands away from the rose as an unfamiliar voice spoke behind her. She didn't know why, but she felt nervous all of a sudden. She turned around and saw it was none other than Koko, the very lad whom Hotaru told her to avoid.

The feeling of being inferior wasn't too appetizing for her. She's used to be the one intimidating people, not the other way around.

"_Mikan, promise me that you will never get near him. Promise me that you will never, ever listen to whatever he says. Promise me, or I will kill you with my own hands." _

Hotaru's reminder to her surfaced to her memory. She had to get away. From this man. But there was just something else. The stare he was giving her and the way he was looking at her told another story. Why was Hotaru so keen on her not meeting this man? If indeed, he was her past love and their story didn't have their happy ending, what was she to do with this man? How could he affect her so much?

There were so many questions running in her mind. That was why, even if Hotaru's voice was ringing in her ears and wouldn't stop, she fought his stare. She stood straight and faced him regardless of the apprehension gradually taking over her.

"What are you doing here? This is strictly for the student council." Her voice faltered for a split second there. He noticed it, and a smirk appeared on his face.

"You... are so interesting." Koko walked past her and aimed for the rose she was previously looking at. He closed his eyes and neared his face to the flower and inhaled the sweetly smell it had. He got back up and this time, touched the petals delicately, as if any harsh contact with the rose could do a lot of damage.

He was a tall lad, probably half a more than half a foot taller than her. His muscular built up wasn't too big to boast, but without any exaggeration, for a high school student, it said something else. Sun kissed skin and sandy brown hair. No one would think he could be a Japanese or at least Asian, if not for his eyes. This guy was the former boyfriend of her best friend. Surely, Hotaru had good tastes.

Then a thought disturbed Mikan, but what if... what if he knew her all this time?

"Thinking about me, babe?"

Mikan flinched at the endearment. She didn't like it one bit. Gripping her fists, she calmed herself. No, she had to stop before anything goes wrong. She wouldn't risk her friendship with Hotaru just for the sake of knowing about _that_. "I don't really care... about you or your issue with your confidence."

She was about to walk away when he grabbed her hand and turned around.

"Still vicious... I like that," he pulled her close, encircled her arm around her waist and took her chin. "Tell me, _Mikan_, how far have you gone with Hyuuga Natsume?"

With all her might, she tried to push him away, but he was just too strong for her. She was afraid she'd die of suffocation when he tightened his hold to her. She gritted her teeth. "What do you want?"

He removed his hand from her chin, and traced the left side of her face. Time seemed to move so slow.

Koko stopped the movement of his hand when he noticed her looking intently at his face. Particularly at the scar half an inch away from his hairline. He interrupted her stare by putting his lips near her ear, and huskily whispered. "I want _you_."

He smirked when his prey froze on her spot.

"Hey! Who are you?" Yura hollered as she entered the green house and saw her senpai and him. It was her first time seeing him. She had memorized each face and name of the students attending Alice Academy and despite that he could be a new student, her suspicions still overrode her judgement. And the fact that he was holding Mikan too close to him was something she couldn't ignore, not especially when she could see how her senpai wasn't breaking free from his grasp. It's either she liked it, or the lad was too strong for her.

She chose the latter and hurried to them.

He ignored her and whispered something to Mikan. After that, he released Mikan and inserted his hands in his pockets. "You're no fun. I'm outta here."

Yura held Mikan as she was close to stumbling, and whipped her head to look at the leaving guy. Narrowing her eyes at him, she threatened. "You better be, sir."

He waved his hand at them and left.

"Are you alright, Mikan?" She asked and Mikan clung to her. She wrapped her arms at her senpai, who was breathing heavily. What on earth did he do to her?

"Shh... shh... I'm already here," Yura hushed her senpai, stroking her hair as they slumped on the floor. She could feel her shivering.

Mikan nodded at her.

"I'll bring you to Rui-senpai. Don't worry," Slowly, she helped her up and assisted her to the door.

Yura kept on stealing glances at the girl beside her. What was the connection of her senpai with that guy? For the years that she stayed with her, Mikan never once mentioned a guy like him.

_Be careful Yura. He's up to no good._

She nodded to no one. She could hear her _friends_' warning. And this time, she knew that they weren't playing around.

In a matter of few minutes, they arrived at the door of the office of Rui. She knocked twice and heard Rui's voice telling them to come in.

As soon as they came in, Rui got to his feet from his chair and stumbled his way to them. He was overwhelmed by the pale face of Mikan.

"Oh my god! What happened dear?" he led Yura and Mikan to the couch. His favorite lavender perfume was seeping into the insides of the two girls who entered his executive space.

Mikan shook her head. "I-it's nothing." She gave a fleeting look at Yura and thanked her.

Rui draped his arm around Mikan and squeezed her. He rubbed her arm. "It's okay dear. We're here." He peered over at Yura and in silence, the two concurred at something.

Mikan watched the grandfather clock standing against the wall across her. The pendulum kept on swinging back and forth, back and forth. _How odd_, she thought, when before, she had been like this pendulum, moving on its own and precise accord, constantly resisting other external elements. Now, she felt as if her bare body was being exposed to the public.

A knock emanating from the outside disrupted the ongoing silence among the three. Mikan, alerted by this, freed herself from Rui's grasp and stood up. Yura volunteered to open the door.

"So Rui, apparently Shouda is keen on her fetish for the color green and she wants that color as the theme for–" Megane stopped talking, noticing the heavy air inside the room. The way his eyebrow creased and he sucking his cheeks indicated that he didn't expect something like this from Rui's office, neither the vacant face of Rui. Abruptly, he closed the door and held the folders against him. "Guys, you okay?"

Megane was the second P.R.O., more accurately, the PRO for Internal Affairs. His work consisted of working on designs, documentaries and teaming up with Sumire, the PRO for External Affairs, who handled the class representatives, acting as mediator between the council and the students. Currently, he and Sumire were planning on the props to be used for the upcoming Alice Festival. The proposal that Luna presented were approved by the entire council and the school board.

Mikan was the first one to respond to him, giving him a pat at his shoulder. "You're not missing out on anything."

Megane winced at the cold and impassive voice that Mikan used. They were good friends or rather, better acquaintances and schoolmates. But still, the arising of his uneasiness when this side of hers came out was inevitable. He chuckled nervously at her, "I guess so."

The sides of her lip curved upward and not long, she was out of the room.

Megane used to have a crush on her, maybe until now. He couldn't help but to fluster at the bit of a smile that she gave him. When he first saw her, he was a second year student. A normal teenage boy who sported glasses at his early age because of his addiction to computer. He used to have his slightly long, light turquoise hair pushed back by a head band during middle school. No one knew why he decided to cut his hair when it was the one thing that he liked most.

Mikan and Hotaru were transfer students. No one knew anything about them. Mikan was almost like a walking Barbie doll. A pokerfaced barbie, to be exact. Her hair was in a shade of light brown and her curled locks reached until the middle of her back. Her eyes, a mix of hazel and olive, though rarely seen in delight, were something that attracted a great deal of guys. And her small, plump pink limps added more guys in the list. Unfortunately, Natsume Hyuuga had claimed that he would be hers even from before, and someone like him as a competition was another thing.

Realizing that his fussing over the past was just a waste of time, he shook them off. He averted his eyes to Rui and presented him a smile. "Ready to hear about my complains?"

Yura scoffed and decided to leave the two guys alone. She was least interested in what they were going to talk about, plus, she was half-sure that Rui's gonna flirt to his senpai.

* * *

><p>Calmly passing him by was the girl he had been waiting for almost two hours. It seemed to him that she didn't notice him as she held her head high and continued her walking with her stoic face. Or maybe, she was ignoring him... Because come on, no one could get him past by their sight, even in their peripheral vision.<p>

They didn't have the chance to talk to each other the whole day. Was she purposefully avoiding him? Did she regret her decision of giving him a shot? Did she change her mind already? Was it that easy for her?

So what now?

No... he won't give up just like that.

So he stood up from his slacking position and ran after her, who was already about fifteen meters away from the gate of the academy. "Mikan! Mikaan! Mikaaan!" He kept on shouting her name, running after her. Students were staring at him weirdly while whispering to each other; some girls were already ogling at the sight of him. Damn, his voice was already so loud. Why won't she turn her head to him?

Finally, he caught up on her. Panting, he grabbed her elbow and compelled her to look at him. His other hand was on his knee, supporting himself. Why was he getting tired so easily? Was thinking about her for the whole day wore out his energy effortlessly?

"Natsume?" the innocence in her face washed out his wary thoughts. She gazed at him from his toe to his dishevelled hair, and a grin pushed her lips to both sides. "What happened to you?"

He had no idea whether to feel insulted because base from her expression, she was mocking him, but hearing her soft voice was too overwhelming for him. He wanted to know, to discover, just what was in her that attracted him so much. To him, it felt like what he thought he knew before was nothing she ever was. He was seeing her in a different light. And she, calling out his name was drowning him. He just wanted her to repeat saying his name. It was addicting.

"Natsume... Natsume... are you there?" she poked his shoulder and asked lastly, "Natsume?"

Natsume exhausted the air of defeat inside him. And before he could do anything, such as losing his control around her, he stretched out his fingers and locked them around hers. "No more questions."

He led their way to somewhere she was clueless of, letting herself get dragged by the guy. His warm hand was a new thing for her. It was slowly spreading all over her body, inside her veins, flowing through every part of her body. And that familiar pink on her cheeks appeared again as she stared at their entwined hands. Somehow, she felt protected, as if nothing could ever harm her if he's beside her.

_Maybe a bit of this won't hurt_.

A smile grew in her lips. And soon, she was giggling.

Natsume glanced at her. He was at ease upon seeing a different emotion from her face as he saw from before. At least, she was happy.

That afternoon, he finally thought where to bring her. He couldn't wait for tomorrow or for the weekends. He didn't want to waste a single second of this.

Glittery laughs and a mixed smell of freshly cut grass and popcorns and sweet cotton candies welcomed the ears of the couple as they arrived at the place. Kids ran about here and there, with balloons in their hands. Their parents or guardians were trying their best either to watch their children from their chequered and colourful mats or run along with them. Narrow cemented pathways flowed like mazes through the grounds and standing beside them were carts selling sweet treats, popcorns, chocolates, beverages, ice cream, cotton candies, and toys. A gardener was watering the bushes where colourful flowers sprouted. There were about four benched placed around the park.

This wasn't his thing and he was still trying to persuade his mind that she would like this. The blow of air she gave convinced him she was just like him.

"I'm hungry. How about an ice cream?" she stepped on beside him since she was just following behind him while they were walking, and faced him with a smile. The smile that she hadn't had the chance to erase ever since she laid her eyes at their entwined hands.

Here she was, standing beside him and actually making an effort to show that she appreciated his guts to bring her here despite knowing that she might not like to be taken to a park filled with hyper kids and these kinds of things. How could he be happier than this?

"Y-yeah, let's go." He nodded and began walking again, this time, taking his steps slower, like the skips that his heartbeat managed to accomplish. He stole occasional glances at her while her eyes swept the area around her.

"That feels nice..." he heard her say in almost like a whisper. Following her gaze, he saw a little girl being carried by her father on his back and her mother capturing the moments through her silver camera. The smiles etched on their faces were beautiful, almost picture-perfect.

"Well, if you marry me, it'll be better."

Mikan gasped at what he had said and she diverted her eyes to him. Her lips turned into a frown and she let go of his hand. Natsume released a sigh of disappointment and to his surprise, she laughed and tousled his hair. "We better get some ice cream already. You're being delusional."

She skipped merrily towards the ice cream cart with Natsume trailing behind her.

"We'll have two strawberry flavoured ice creams, please." She told the vendor and the man immediately took two cones and scooped four spoonfuls of strawberry ice cream. He handed the two cones to her, while Natsume paid him.

With a smile, she said, "Thank you, sir."

The vendor smiled back. "You're welcome, young lady."

Mikan turned around and licked one of the ice creams. She squeezed her eyes shut and squealed in delight. When she opened her eyes, she saw Natsume staring at her intently. "What?"

"Where's mine?"

She stared at him quizzically, arching one of her brows at him. "You mean what?" she licked her ice cream again.

Natsume's face was becoming serious.

And she laughed.

"I was kidding. Jeez," she giggled and gave him his ice cream.

Smirking, he gladly took it and his other hand scooped Mikan's hand. "Let's sit."

The couple walked to a bench about five meters away from them.

"So Natsume, tell me about yourself." Mikan initiated the conversation.

"Hmm," Natsume placed their entwined hands on top of his left thigh and squeezed her hand gently. "I like you very much... to the point that I'm not letting go of this hand."

"What about the other one?"

"I'll have it when you're done with your ice cream."

She suppressed her smile. "What... Natsume, what did you like about me?"

He shrugged.

"Come on, Shizune's far decent than me. Yura's prettier, too. And there are a lot of girls who like you. So why me?"

Natsume thought. It wasn't a hard question to answer. But there were just too many reasons. From the past and from what he just realized now. If he would enumerate everything, it would take him until tomorrow.

"Why you? Well, why shouldn't it be you?"

She looked at him and he caught her eyes. They locked their gaze at each other, engrossed with their own notions. But she broke the contact first and pushed her eyes to look at the distance before her.

"I think I'm... disagreeable."

He rubbed her hand with his thumb. "Are you saying that I have bad tastes?" he lifted up their hands and placed it below his chin.

"I didn't say that."

Softly, he planted a kiss on her hand. "Then you've answered your question already."

She fully focused her eyes on him. His voice and his actions promised so much. "Don't spoil me."

"And if I want to?"

"..."

He kissed her hand again while looking at her. "Anything else you want to add?"

"I'm complicated."

Another kiss. "And?"

"I'm awkward."

Another kiss. "Point taken."

"I'm always busy."

Another kiss. "Always, but you have make time for me."

She nodded. "Um, I can't promise forever."

The kiss was longer than the others. Natsume's lips were softly touching that same spot in her hands, marking her and spreading the warmth of his simple touch to the rest of her body. He fluttered his eyes close and his eyelashes were tickling her skin.

When he raised his head, his lips were obscurely pressed to their sides. But she could see it. Like it was only for hers to see. And it made her heart beat faster.

* * *

><p>How he wished it wouldn't end.<p>

However, they have to go home. She said that she needed to do not only their pile of homework, but also the papers of the council which Rui left for her. She had mentioned this part of her life in the conversation they had earlier that sent his insides both hyper and failing.

Never once he let go of her hand ever since they sat on the bench. He loved holding her small and soft palms against his hands. He loved inhaling the strawberry scent of her perfume.

He insisted he'd walk her home, but she refused. His house was on the other direction. She said he could do that in another day but not today.

"How about until the intersection?" he asked lastly.

Mikan smiled. "Intersection's fine."

When they reached the intersection, he fought his urge not to release her hands. He was afraid someone would take her away even if no one was around. She faced him and gave him a reassuring smile. "Thank you for today, Natsume. See you tomorrow."

"Okay," he kept his cool and inserted his hands inside his pockets.

She took her steps and walked away from him. As she was in the middle of the road, she turned around and lightly waved her hands at him.

He was too caught up on the smile on her lips that he didn't notice the fast approaching car. She was too caught in this new feeling inside her that she was too late to run from the car.

_Screeeeeeeech_...

"MIKAAAAAN!"


	8. Too Good to Be True

Disclaimer Noted.

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><p>Chapter 8 – Too Good to Be True<p>

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><p>Movements decelerating, figures and colors that melted into the space like the wax from a burning candle came back to life as monsters, crawling above the infertile soil. A splatter of blood everywhere and a deep voice laughed from the background. The world had lost its hues. From the middle of nowhere, darkness spurted and slowly, its hands devoured everything that had life. And a flash of light, a split-second miracle, impaired everyone at its wake.<p>

She knew she wasn't dead.

That much, Mikan Sakura was pretty sure.

The pungent smell of chemicals and the too-soft but sickening sweet smell of flowers lingering around her turned her stomach upside down.

Nonetheless, she wasn't entirely informed of where she was at that moment, or why she couldn't see anything or feel anything.

Her dreams were the least thing that brought her close to reality. And before she could take in any further, the feeling of something heavy falling down to her weakened her prejudice and that familiar darkness blinded her once more.

.

.

Seagulls raced above the molten gray sky. Waves from the farther side of the sea gushed one after another, creating a rumbling sound that no matter, sounded peaceful. Until... he appeared. In the middle of the vast sea that washed everything. And in his presence, the color red unfolded, dying everything with its enraging power. Yet again, death was reborn.

Mikan was standing by the beach, covered in her dirty, tattered dress. Her arms were around her and how much effort she exerted, her feet wouldn't move from their place, grounded under the gray sand.

He was approaching. Fast... as he floated above the water, bringing the emblematic color from his feet.

All she could do was look to her other side, to the untainted part of this world. Bright white light overwhelmed her vision.

He was _ten_ meters... _eight meters_... _seven_... _five_...

_Four... three... two..._

She was ready to be consumed, when a tear from the other side appeared and a hand emerged, reaching for her.

_One..._

And so, the man was too late for she had vanished along with the hand.

In the silence, she could hear someone breathing. There was no feigning that the person was tired. It was too close. She could feel the very short hairs of her right cheek being swayed by the warm air.

Her attempt to flutter her eyes open was futile. She just couldn't.

The door creaked open and she felt the presence of someone new.

The breathing near her moved away to acknowledge the person.

"Imai," a raspy voice of a male said.

Hotaru! She exclaimed in her thought. Hotaru's here. Surely, she and that person beside her would know why Mikan was here, in this bed...? Wait—but who was she with?

There was a step or two and a crumpling sound of plastic reverberated in her ears.

"Hyuuga, you can go take a rest."

Oh, it was Natsume. Mikan could feel her tight nerves softening. If anything, she felt the safest with him. So, that's why the warmth from before felt so familiar to her, because it emanated from him.

Right—they were just having a good time this afternoon. He treated her a big cone of ice cream in a park filled with _different_ things. The park wasn't in her interests but it was curiosity that made her go further. She was curious to the cheery laughter coming out from the small lips of those little kids. She was curious why their faces were drowned with so much optimism. She was curious if she ever had those moments in her childhood. And last but not the least, she was curious to why Natsume had taken a liking to her when after all, she could even consider herself an eye sore.

How low she thought of herself.

"_Why you? Well, why shouldn't it be you?"_

Natsume answered her with another of his critical questions. It turned the table, but surprisingly, she felt satisfied for a moment there. Natsume was different.

But she told him. She was a complicated person. Even if it appeared unlikely, she was passing through the stage where a person couldn't understand herself, or her purpose of being here.

He didn't disregard that aspect in hers. It told her one thing. He wasn't a difficult person and if ever he was, he still tried to make it simple for her. There was more to him than his crimson pools that were like always begging—she couldn't quite find the right word for it—for her attention and narrowing in indifference for people otherwise.

This was his way of spoiling her. It made her selfish and despite not wanting that, she brightened at the thought of Natsume only vying for her.

"I don't..." his pause made Mikan want to hear more, "need that. It's been four days already, why isn't she waking up?"

_But I'm awake!_ Mikan wanted to say. But something in his statement didn't sound right. Did he just say it had been four days already?

Four days of sleeping and not knowing anything.

Mikan suddenly felt the chills running down her numb spine.

She wanted to open her eyes, open her lips, and run to Hotaru. But she couldn't. She couldn't feel anything down below but her mind being half-consciously aware of the two people around her.

"You heard the doctor. Don't look at me like that. I'm more than distressed as you are, but we can only rely on the idiot's will."

Doctor? Hotaru being distressed? Just... what?

Oh... so she was in a hospital? Not again.

A chair scraped the floor rather quietly and a faint brush of a skin sent tingles on Mikan's hand. The voice of Natsume echoed inside the room as it made its way through his gritting teeth. "I just want her to wake up."

"She will. But for the meantime, go home. I'll call you the moment—," somehow, Mikan could imagine Hotaru glancing at her, "she wakes up."

And Mikan was out again the same time he went out of the room.

* * *

><p>The fifth time she woke up, she had heard a cool, comforting voice of a doctor—she assumed to be—telling Natsume, who was clearly trying his best not to look so impatient, that he should calm down and wait for her to wake up. But Natsume was being persistent and that said that waiting for almost a week was too insufferable for him.<p>

When she awoke from her recurring and endless dreams the third and fourth time, she couldn't quite remember what happened. She was, nonetheless sure that Rui, Yura, Sumire, and her other friends from the council were there. They were being loud, perceptibly aware of Hotaru's abhorrence to it like her, but were still continuing it in hope that she, who they didn't know was already mind-stirred with their small commotion, would hear and open her eyes.

Natsume was only absent once when she awoke. It wasn't that she was going to hate him for leaving her alone when she had trusted him that he would be guarding her, but she was just hopeful that he would be there when her body had gathered enough strength to move even just a little.

She preferred him being there, because she knew he wouldn't judge her.

The doctor left the room and Natsume exhaled what could possibly be the air of fatigue inside his body. He pulled the chair towards Mikan's bed, scooped her hand gently and rubbed his thumb against the dry, pale skin of the girl's hand.

"Wake up," it was a whisper he intended only for her to hear. His voice was tired, his whole being felt like deteriorating that even the slightest of the movement of the wind could dissolve him to pieces. The preposterous idea didn't sound any more painful than seeing Mikan in her current state.

She was, yet he didn't know. Mustering up the littlest verve in her, which took a lot of concentrating to move a part of her body, she managed to respond to the friction he had been producing by creating a split-second budging of her forefinger as he lightly rubbed her hand.

Her attempt was successful for Natsume called out to her quickly, "Mikan!"

He seized her hand in both of his and a hopeful sigh escaped his thin, pale-pink lips.

It took Mikan about a couple of minutes to stir her eyes open and see streaks of white light, the shadows of her eyelashes minimizing the glare only by so little. Everything was bright. Every corner and wall her eyes swept were painted in white. In each second that passed, she winced in silence as she fought not to shut her eyes from the world again. The color white had never hurt so much like this. _Back then_, it didn't seem to give her such an agonizing experience as this.

The passing pain was subdued. When her eyes regained comfort, she looked to her right only to find two blurry Natsumes. She managed to blink a few times slowly before fully opening her eyes and lay her eyes upon the crimsons of the lad, who had been watching her and disregarding his own welfare.

_They are beautiful_.

"Nat—," she was cut off when Natsume shushed her.

"You're not supposed to talk," there was a restrain in the way he spoke. He avoided her eyes and removed his hand.

Mikan didn't, couldn't understand. His croaking voice earlier sounded so promising. Yet now, why did she feel like he wasn't so optimistic when she awoke?

His hands reached out, so slow, to the wrapped bandage around her head. His touch was a quick. Mikan didn't know she had a bandage until then, when she was certain he touched a part of her head, but barely felt anything.

"How are you feeling?" he asked monotonously.

She knew he was trying hard to conceal his emotions. She could see the smallest wavering of his crimson orbs where sparks of black and red lay.

It made her... upset.

"You mean right now? When I'm imprisoned in this white-walled cube?" she scoffed at him and saw a sliver of pain in his face.

Honestly, when she was still blinded and could only listen mutely to the people around her, knowing that Natsume was always there despite how nervous she was, she had been looking forward to the day when she could open her eyes again and see his face. Why it was? She couldn't comprehend why. All she thought was this feeling was anew to her. It's not every day when someone other than Hotaru waited for her to regain consciousness.

But now, what she wanted most was to sink deeper in her bed and adrift again to her dreams. At least there, even if the monsters and horrors meant to harm her, she knew they weren't all true and they weren't faking it. It was a fake ignorance to the world lying in front of her closed eyelids.

His lips quivered slightly until it thinned into a line. "I didn't mean that..."

Mikan grasped that she had hurt him with what she said. Yet it didn't stop her. Her mouth just did the talking after turning her head forward and gasp in realization that her right feet was wrapped in white bandage as if she was sporting a boot in a dead runway. "Bad things do happen to terrible people, huh? As I thought so, Karma's a bitch. I thought I'd get away."

She looked sharply at him, rendering him speechless. "You think so? Why don't you go out for awhile and call Hotaru for me then?"

"I won't go out."

"What?"

Natsume pushed the chair when he stood up forcefully and she had to cringe at the sound. "I don't do things to please people. There is now way for me to listen to orders I barely make effort to hear. And that includes leaving you here." He was clenching his fists, turning his knuckles white, and a furrow surfaced between his eyebrows.

"Why are you doing this? Didn't you hear me?" Her voice, still a bit hoarse, started to rise and her attempts to sit up only resulted to a shot of pain in her shoulder, which she masked under her fuming face.

"I won't leave you here," the color of his knuckles was gradually coming back as he walked towards her. "Tell me what the hell your problem is." If it was anyone else, Mikan was sure that their voice would've risen by now, like hers. But Natsume was different. His voice was still calm, and thought evident that he was holding back, he was doing a hell lot of a good performance.

That infuriated Mikan. "How could you stay so calm?"

Natsume opened his lips but closed them again on second thought. His features softened slightly.

"Don't look at me like that. Just because I'm caged in this bed, you have no right to pity me," Mikan was seething in anger. She knew how quaint she appeared when she could hardly see herself wrapped in bandages and stuck in her bed surrounded with all the tubes and dextrose and other medical support and she's fighting with Natsume.

All of a sudden, a chuckle was heard in the room. Okay, so this really blew off Mikan.

"Why the hell are you doing that? What's so funny?" When she heard no response, she felt like a bomb that was about to tick off. "Natsume Hyuuga! Answer me right now or I swear I'll kill you the moment I recover!"

The lad she was pertaining to turned around, his back facing her as his body, shaking lightly, crouching forward while his hand was on his abdomen and one on his lips. His raven strands were dancing where his body moved. After a minute or two, he faced her and he was smiling.

_Oh heavens... He was handsome_. Mikan mused.

It took him one step to reach her and he held her hand. "It's you."

Mikan gulped. In an instant, she felt her anger was gone and all was but confusion. "Me? What the hell are you talking about?"

He sat down beside Mikan, their hands still entwined.

"Why aren't you saying anything?" Mikan's eyes narrowed at Natsume, who was staring intently at her. The light was hitting the smooth planes of his face, casting a shadow on his high cheekbones and runs perfectly on his defined jawbone. But even though these features of his looked too seamless, there were just parts of his which showed his struggles just to stay here beside her. His almost hollow cheeks and the dark circles around his eyes made Mikan worrisome and want to touch his face. Unfortunately, her hands cannot be moved freely yet (Natsume was just being careful when he held her hand) and she felt as if someone casted a spell around her and a heavy air was trying to close her eyes.

And she yawned.

Natsume stretched his hand to her forehead and pushed her bangs gently that were covering her face. He moved closer to her and whispered something in her ears. Feeling the heat that began in her neck and slowly creeping up to her cheeks and to her ears, her eyes widened as saucers. She had to shut them tight when Natsume planted a soft kiss on her forehead.

"S-stop that—," Mikan stuttered and he only rose a brow at her, "s-stop kissing me. I mean it Natsume."

He sat properly and gave her one of his infamous, handsome smirk. "I'll go out and call Imai. You can go to sleep then." He flicked—the kind of flick that would make the victim's eyes roll ironically because it didn't really feel like anything—her forehead and stood up. Mikan shook her head lightly at him, a smile making its way to her lips.

With his back facing her, his hands clamped the knob and twisted it to open the door. He went out, and when he appeared on the door again, winked at her and closed the door.

Now, Mikan all alone had the time to appreciate the tint that was taking over her face and neck and ears. Natsume was flirting with her! Heavens! How was she supposed to react? She couldn't turn him down. After all, she gave him the chance to do that. But to think that some minutes ago, she was practically kicking the guy out of her room with her words.

Her heart thumped loudly when she remembered the words that he whispered to her. His lips brushing against the skin of her right ear were _soso_ warm. Mikan couldn't stop the smile growing wider by this time. She stared at the door where she had last seen him and the scene of him winking at her was played again.

How did she manage to get a guy like him? Mikan befuddled.

She had been thinking too much, got her tired, and the sleeping spell invaded her. She surrendered to the spell then, with only his words being chanted in her mind.

.

.

"_I love you_."

* * *

><p>Mikan had been in the hospital for almost two weeks now. Her condition was a lot better, too. Two days ago, she found out that she was hit by a car, her right leg taking most of the damage but nothing too serious, since she barely managed to get away from the car that drove past her. She fell and passed out near the sidewalks, and Natsume, who was on the other side of the road, ran to her and called the ambulance for help. The right part of her body earned bruises and her head that hit the road had a gash, near her hairline.<p>

"We have to run a series of tests to make sure of your recovery. The wound in your head is a minor wound, but you still have to be careful since it might bleed anytime. You were lucky that Natsume here was able to prevent further bleeding and infection to your wound at that time." The doctor smiled at Mikan and then to Natsume. He held his clipboard tightly against him and continued.

"Regarding your right foot, we had to put a cast in order to immobilize the joints and bones and soft tissue for natural healing. There is a swelling of your tissue around the fibula and in the base of your ankle that we have to subdue. You will be limping for a few more days, so please be careful until the tenderness fully heals. Other than that, you are recovering fast Ms. Sakura and will be out in a week's time if you can. Have a good day."

One more week and she would be out in this not-her-favorite place called hospital. Whatever kind of luck she had at the day of the accident, the kind that turned it into a miracle, she was certain it was something else. She'd be back to school in no time. All she had to do was follow the doctor's instructions and maybe, she wouldn't have to limp her way to the school then.

Natsume was always with her. If it wasn't for Hotaru telling him that he also had the duty to attend school and Mikan seconding to that, he wouldn't leave. On the days when both Natsume and Hotaru were in school, Natsume would send one or two of his body guards to guard her. They were fine and kind men. She actually had taken a liking to Takihiro-san, the forty-seven year old body guard of Natsume, one of the seniors, who had seen Natsume grow up throughout the years. He was medium built and some of his short, curly black hairs were already starting to gray. He always told her jokes and stories about the younger Natsume, whom he had the chance to guard from his infancy.

"There was one time when Natsume was running away from his tutor. The master was very fast and oh boy, I was the one called to run after him. Imagine the seven year old him running and sticking up his tongue at me. And the next second, he was swimming in the _Koi_ pond! Hahaha!" Takihiro-san wiped the corner of his eyes as he told Mikan about that scene. They laughed at the story and were surprised when Natsume suddenly entered the room.

Takihiro and Mikan looked at each other in silence and then chuckled. Natsume was a smart guy and it didn't take him any longer to realize that Takihiro was telling Mikan about his childhood. With a frown, he shook his head and sauntered over to them. He ruffled Mikan's hair before giving her a kiss on the top of her head and sat beside her, taking her hand in his. He was giving off the signs saying: _Go ahead. Let's see if you can laugh at me while I'm here_. And the two fell into a silence again.

They decided not to run after the person who was driving the vehicle that hit Mikan. Actually, Hotaru decided. She told Mikan that she'd be the one to take care of it and she needed not to worry and just do her best in recovery. As long as Natsume would be protecting Mikan and not leaving her alone, it would be good.

The half-hearted smiles that Hotaru was giving worried Mikan. A lot. She knew Hotaru was masking everything in indifference. The fact that Mikan couldn't do anything but to pretend she was always okay, laugh when told jokes, flush at Natsume's actions and words, stay still so she'd heal faster, and keep a calm and affirmative face when Hotaru's there... hurt her. She could see the loneliness and exhaustion in Hotaru's eyes. They never told lies.

"Hotaru, I'm sorry," Mikan tried to get in her way of asking Hotaru by apologizing.

Hotaru looked up from the magazine she was reading and closed it. "You don't need to be."

"Look, I know I was reckless at that time. I wasn't quick enough."

"You weren't," Hotaru exhaled and raked her hair back, "but it was enough. Dummy, don't cry." She walked to Mikan and hugged her lightly.

"Hotaru...!" A tear dropped from Mikan's eye. She struggled not to cry.

Mikan felt Hotaru tightened her hug. "I'm just glad you're safe. You don't have to be worried for me. I'm fine."

Mikan nodded and Hotaru released her. "O-okay. But, I can't help but be worried about the festival. It's fast approaching. I can't believe I'm not helping the littlest."

"They're fine," Hotaru assured, with a roll of her eyes. "They're being loud, as usual." Mikan knew her best friend was pertaining to the council. "Besides, you're going to be there in the opening ceremony."

Four more days and Mikan would be back in the school. It was a spark of hope for her. "Right, I'll be there with the bandage and everything."

Hotaru's lips fell into a smirk and she patted Mikan's cheeks softly. "Hyuuga will be there. Rest assured."

"WHAT?" Mikan pouted at Hotaru's retreating back. The girl picked up her bag and turned to Mikan.

"I've to go. Visiting hours are done. Goodnight."

"You're so mean Hotaru. But, goodnight! I'll see you tomorrow."

It didn't take Mikan a couple of minutes and she was drifting in the seas of her dreams—dreams that improved since the last time.

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><p>An: Review? Come on guys. :)


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